The present invention discloses methods for producing coatings for medical devices that are both echogenic and radiopaque.

The invention describes method for delivering and positioning radio-isotopes. The method uses encapsulating free flowing medicament into a leak proof vehicle and positioning the vehicle into the body. Also provided is a system for delivering and positioning radio-isotopes into the body, the system comprising fluid radio-isotope encapsulated in a leak proof material and/or absorbable material.

Polymeric compositions are described comprising a biocompatible polymer including a biodegradable linkage to a visualization agent and a non-physiological solution; wherein the biocompatible polymer is soluble in the non-physiological solution and insoluble in a physiological solution. Methods of forming the solutions and polymers are disclosed as well as methods of therapeutic use.

A method of making magnetically controllable devices for interventional medical procedures comprises the steps of: Manufacturing a medical device for interventional medical procedures having magnetic materials which are without permanent magnetization; and establishing permanent magnetization within the magnetic materials subsequent to manufacturing, wherein the permanent magnetization allows the medical device to be magnetically controllable. The method may further including the step of packaging and sterilizing the medical device, wherein establishing permanent magnetization occurs after packaging and sterilization. The establishing permanent magnetization within the magnetic materials may include providing different magnetic orientations to distinct portions of the magnetic materials. The magnetic material includes one of a platinum alloy or a palladium alloy.

Described herein are fluid complex coacervates that produce solid adhesives in situ. Oppositely charged polyelectrolytes were designed to form fluid adhesive complex coacervates at ionic strengths higher than the ionic strength of the application site, but an insoluble adhesive solid or gel at the application site. When the fluid, high ionic strength adhesive complex coacervates are introduced into the lower ionic strength application site, the fluid complex coacervate is converted to a an adhesive solid or gel as the salt concentration in the complex coacervate equilibrates to the application site salt concentration. In one embodiment, the fluid complex coacervates are designed to solidify in situ at physiological ionic strength and have numerous medical applications. In other aspects, the fluid complex coacervates can be used in aqueous environment for non-medical applications.

In one form, the invention is directed to a method for forming a porous implant suitable for a cavity from which tissue has been removed, including mixing soluble alginate and a radiopaque imaging agent with water; incorporating a gas or a pore forming agent into the alginate-water mixture; transferring the alginate-water mixture with the gas or the pore forming agent into a mold to form the mixture into a solid body of desired shape; removing the water from the body; and converting at least part of the soluble alginate to a less soluble alginate. In another form, the invention includes forming a mixture by mixing about 0.5 percent to about 4 percent by weight chitosan into an acidified aqueous solution containing 1 percent to 25 percent by weight acetic acid, along with about 0.5 percent to about 5 percent by weight of a powdered radiopaque imaging agent.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a tumor sealant to be used for therapy that enables curative treatment, by improving an extremely simple, minimally-invasive therapy consisting of starving tumor cells without radiation exposure or causing serious side effects by drugs. The invention provides a tumor sealant that utilizes the EPR effect specific to tumor cells, that covers the tumor cells of each tissue by particles that permeate only tumor blood vessels and accumulate and settle in the tumor, that does not release angiogenesis-inducing factors, that does not separate tumor cells having improved mobility in a hypoxic state and move them to another location, that permeates gaps of from 50 nm to 500 nm of the tumor vascular endothelial cells, and that biodegrades after adhering to the tumor cells and extracellular matrix near the gaps.

Systems and methods for using surgical meshes to deliver chemotherapeutic agents and radioactive elements are presented herein. The surgical mesh may comprise multiple layers, with an inner or outer layer comprising the radioactive element, and an inner or outer layer comprising the chemotherapeutic layer. Upon exposure to physiological conditions, the surgical mesh along with pellets or powdered elements embedded therein biodegrades.

Liquid embolic preparations and medical treatment methods of using those preparations are described. In some embodiments, the preparations or solutions can transition from a liquid to a solid for use in the embolization. The preparations can include biocompatible polymers with covalently bound radioactive iodine isotopes.

Described herein are fluid complex coacervates that produce solid adhesives in situ. Oppositely charged polyelectrolytes were designed to form fluid adhesive complex coacervates at ionic strengths higher than the ionic strength of the application site, but an insoluble adhesive solid or gel at the application site. When the fluid, high ionic strength adhesive complex coacervates are introduced into the lower ionic strength application site, the fluid complex coacervate is converted to a an adhesive solid or gel as the salt concentration in the complex coacervate equilibrates to the application site salt concentration. In one embodiment, the fluid complex coacervates are designed to solidify in situ at physiological ionic strength and have numerous medical applications. In other aspects, the fluid complex coacervates can be used in aqueous environment for non-medical applications.